Friend of Danger
by Ravishingly Discreet
Summary: A short story of two new friend's first meet. Please r/r. Characters and setting created by JK Rowling.


The dew touched grass bristled underneath the cool wind rushing to meet the slumbering form underneath the ground's largest tree.  
  
Basking in a decisive slice of moonlight, it was unbeknownst to him that far above in a corner of the looming castle behind him his friends were toasting themselves on the successful concoction they'd slipped into his pumpkin juice last supper.  
  
As the tree behind his back tensed, the slumped over form began to stir. His eyes fluttered open as a yawn left his partly open lips. It took many glances of the above starry sky and far off Forbidden Forest before his situation became clear.  
  
Frantically, he craned his neck for a glimpse of the expected Hogwarts castle behind him. Instead, he found his view was blocked by the grained bark of a deadly tree. A large, and horribly strong looking, branch shifted above to confirm his frightening whereabouts.  
  
As a nervous habit, he ran his hands through his hair, only having it stick out in more various directions. Muttering something not meant to be understood, he closed his eyes. Firmly holding them shut, he opened them again only after briskly counting to ten.  
  
The Whomping Willow was still reflected in his frightened green eyes.  
  
Letting out an unnoticedly held breath, he leaned back against the tree's trunk. He was drawing out an agenda for revenge against the culprits who had put him here, when he realized there was no longer a tree trunk behind him.  
  
As he caught sight of the ends of his school robes, he realized he was literally falling head over heels. The rough tumble was brought to an end with a abrupt wallop to his head from the bottom step of a concrete flight of stairs.  
  
Holding his throbbing head in his hands, he followed the steps with his reaching eyes until he could no longer make out their distinct shape in the absolute darkness. Frozen in a surprised stupor, he fumbled as he fought to stand.  
  
Later expecting that the jolt to his head had interrupted his suitable train of thought, the messy haired, bright eyed young wizard began his ascent above.  
  
Once arriving at the very time, he made a close assumption that daybreak may have already fallen. After the long journey, he was at least expecting to find a room filled with beautiful maidens or sparkling treasures. If he were lucky, there would be both.  
  
Daring a look over his shoulder, he gulped as he found the steps sinking into a pit of nothingness. Placing his hand on the rusted doorknob in front of him, he drew a breath and pushed the aged door open.  
  
His expectations fell to the floor upon finding a dark hallway lined with paint chipped doors.  
  
A sliver of light fell over the floor at the end of the hallway. Not wanting to venture down the stairs anytime soon, he tentatively inched towards the hallway's end.  
  
The door to his right stood ajar, and as a whistling wind blew through the splintering walls, it was pushed open to reveal a figure he'd only seen in nightmares.  
  
What seemed to be a crazed man stood in the room's middle; undecidedly drenched by the fading moonlight and coming patch of sun. Bursts of fur fell awkwardly around the man, and his mouth released a gut wrenching scream, revealing the carnivorous saliva licked teeth inside.  
  
Its ever moving eyes finally fell on him, and after a sense of haunting familiarity, he was struck to the ground by a forcefully tossed sofa.  
  
Dipping between the barriers of his consciousness, he watched as beast fled the other's features. Soon, the form of a schoolmate stood before him, sun drenched hair falling over his brow. With his torn robes sitting loosely upon his lank figure he stepped forward.  
  
"James Potter?" With a slight nod from the nearly unconscious James, he continued. "Remus Lupin. I'd be most thankful if you didn't tell anyone of this.."  
  
James smiled stupidly. Sirius was never going to believe him. 


End file.
